


Growing to Know You

by Tolumnia



Series: Growing Fond of You [2]
Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Flashbacks, M/M, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-08
Updated: 2018-04-08
Packaged: 2019-04-20 02:48:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14251428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tolumnia/pseuds/Tolumnia
Summary: A few weeks have passed and Danny finds himself in trouble, turning to the only other person who could hopefully help him.Some swearing, stalkerish behavior, etcSee end notes





	Growing to Know You

It had been a few weeks since Danny’s unexpected visit, and Vlad was sitting in his home office, his glass of scotch now empty, begging to be refilled.  However the man still had several more stacks of papers to go through. Since expanding his empire to Amity park, as well as overseas, his amount of work has nearly tripled; and, he was beginning to feel overwhelmed by it all.  One more project, then I'll take a break, he thought to himself, grabbing the next folder from the top of the mountain of papers. It was the project plans and permits for a new Mastersoft store he was opening in the mall. Glancing at his empty glass, he sighed as he began to read over the blueprints, regulations, and needed approvals and permits.  

Nearly two hours passed and he was finally done with the folder, signing off and approving most of it, though he included a few revisions for the layout which may require additional permits.  Placing the completed folder in his briefcase, for the meeting tomorrow morning. He stood up for a stretch, checking his wristwatch, it was a quarter till 5 and he was beginning to feel a bit hungry.

Making his way into the kitchen he began searching through his fridge.  He didn't have much in there, since he was too busy to go shopping the past week.  A sudden buzz halted the man, “Sugar cookies”, he muttered as he closed the fridge door.  He made his way to the front door where the buzzing intensified, persistently. The doorbell going off like a panic alarm, “Yes! I’m coming”, Vlad shouted as he turned the corner.

Swinging the door open, his anger turned to surprise, “Ahh, Daniel?!  What a pleasant surprise, you found the doorbell this time.” The young man attempted a nervous laugh, however he fell silent.  It wasn't much better than his last unexpected visit. The older halfa’s eyes trailed over the younger, inspecting the other for any signs of distress or a possible reason for the unexpected visit.  “Well, since you here, come in then.”, he said, as the he held the door open for the younger halfa to enter. 

The black hair, young man was in a simple grey tee shirt, covered mostly by an red jacket.  He also wore a pair of loose dark blue jeans, which masked the slender, toned legs they hid.  However the young man was in far better shape than his baggy clothes alluded, but that was a secret shared with few others.  The younger followed quietly behind the silver haired man, until they arrived back in the kitchen. 

Vlad immediately made his way to the liquor cabinet, fetching a half full bottle of scotch and two clean glasses.  Danny watched as the long slim fingers tilted the bottle, filling the once empty cups. Handing the first to his guest, who found a seat at the island in the center of the kitchen.  Danny took the glass, a bit apprehensive, but nonetheless he met Vlad’s glass for a small toast, as vlad preferred to stand beside the younger halfa. 

“So...”, began Vlad, “To what do I owe the pleasure of this unexpected visit, Daniel.”, ending in that ever so slight tone of displeasure.  Having already had a rather long and stressful day without the unexpected visitor. Danny didn't like the way Vlad drew out his name, taking the whole shot, the young man lightly tapped the glass back to the counter.  His chest warm from the alcohol, his palms still sweating, as he nervously traced the intricate designs etched in the sides of the glass. Vlad just studied the other halfa, trying to figure out why he wasn't saying anything this whole time, when he’s normally so quick to respond.  “Have one of your parent's experiments interfere with your well being?” Danny shot a slight glare at Vlad's accusation. There was a long pause between the two and Vlad began to narrow his eyes, “You brat!” he slammed a hand on the counter between them, rattling the glasses. “What in the world did you get yourself into?” Danny searched the room for anything to avoid the glare of his mentor.

Sighing heavily, Danny left his empty glass alone for a moment and pulled out his cell phone.  He continued to tap his screen for a bit before showing it to Vlad, who read the message out loudly, “Can I really move in?”.  Vlad paused, that was a little unexpected, he offered that almost two weeks ago. Perhaps the young man really did consider it after their last talk.  “And why don’t you ask me yourself, young badger?”, raising a brow at the taunt. Danny went back to typing on his memos, handing the phone back to Vlad.  “I lost your phone number, so I couldn’t call or text you. But I remembered where you live. Also I can’t talk right now, I accidentally drank something at home and it turned me mute.  Mom can’t figure out how to reverse the potion or elixir and I can really use your help right now because I don’t want to stay like this.”

It took Vlad a bit to process all the information, but he did it in a stride.  “Bullshit, you memorized my phone numbers like you memorized my birthday.” Danny just turned his head away from the other, he couldn’t risk Vlad seeing him blush.  He was just looking for an excuse as to why he didn’t call or anything. Continuing on, “Anyway, you’re still welcome to live here. I’ve kept your room the same as when you were in high school.”  Glancing over at how much the young man grew, Vlad also mentioned, “However, you might want to grab some clothes from home tonight. I doubt you will really fit anything in your dressers here. That is unless you want to borrow some pajamas from me.”  The thought of himself wearing Vlad’s clothes caused Danny to blush even harder, as he attempted to hide his face beneath his arms and hoodie on the counter. He reached his phone back out for Vlad to read, “I can just fly back home and grab a bag of clothes.”  The silver haired man scoffed, “Ha, well I’d still have to make a trip to Fenton works. If you want an antidote, I’m going to need the source of what caused this. I’m also going to need a word with your parents, this kind of accident is really negligent behavior.”  Whenever Danny’s wellbeing was a concern, Vlad usually lost all control.

Seeing that his interrogation was over, Vlad began to hunch over the island counter, his feet still planted firmly on the floor. He knew this wouldn't be an easy problem to fix, and quite honestly he was already overwhelmed with his new corporate expansions.  Solving Daniel’s speech problem could takes weeks. Pinching the bridge between his nose for a while, as he imagined the conversation he’d have to have with Jack and Maddie. 

Danny watched silently as Vlad slumped over the counter, he felt bad that he always ended up causing the man more stress.  But honestly he was probably the best person to help him in this situation, and perhaps the only one who could at this point.  He had waited almost two weeks for his mom to find a solution, but it seems like she is still stuck in square one. At least Vlad had a better understanding of halfas and could possibly solve the issue the quickest.  

Vlad groaned from behind his arms, and Danny could barely catch what the man said next, “I take it your mother has yet to develop a successful antidote”.  Remembering that Danny was mute, Vlad turned his head to face the other, as Danny began to shake his head “No”.

Slowly Vlad pulled himself back up, propping himself up on one elbow, while refilling both glasses with his other arm.  “I'll take you back to Fenton works, so finish your drink.”, the silver haired man said as he took a heavy sip of the amber liquor.  Danny swirled the dark liquid around in his glass, before taking a few light sips. Vlad glanced over at his mute guest, how the boy survived so many accidents and still walked away, will never cease to amaze the man.  Because even a cat, only has nine lives, and Vlad always feared the day Daniel’s would run out. Danny returned for another large sip to finish off his drink. Squinting one eye, at the strong taste. Vlad smiled a little, “The taste becomes better with age.  You're still not accustomed to stronger spirits.” 

As the younger halfa sat there quietly on the bar stool in the kitchen, Vlad began to reiterate their conversation.  “So, you drank a concoction of your parent's making, which has turned you mute for the past few weeks, with no known antidote.  And you came here to seek refuge, and help, while accepting my previous offer to move in.” Dark, midnight blue eyes studied the silent figure, which nodded slightly as confirmation.  “Want another glass?”, the elder said blandly, as he downed the last of his scotch, Danny shook his head no, as he got off the bar stool. “Pack what you need tonight, we can schedule a moving van later for rest of your stuff towards the end of the week”, Vlad didn't look at those baby blue eyes this time, as he just grabbed a coat and his keys off the wall, as he headed for his car.  Mesmerized, Daniel could only watch as that familiar silver ponytail bounced as Vlad straightened his coat collar and walked away. “Are you coming?”, Vlad called from behind his shoulder. Danny hurried after Vlad, out to the car for their drive to Fenton works.

The awkward silence from the car ride was nerve wracking for both the halfas, and the situation wasn't exactly ideal conditions for their drive.  But Vlad did his best and played soft music, which he hummed to every now and again. Which eased the tension of the awkward car ride. 

Upon arriving at Fenton works, the two were greeted by a frantic Maddie.  “Oh baby, I'm so sorry, we haven't been able to make a viable antidote yet.”  Showering Danny with love and kisses, glancing up she noticed the familiar figure walking up the steps behind her son, “Oh, Vlad, uhh I take it Danny told you what happened.”, Maddie trailed off, a bit intimidated by Vlad's stone cold glare, and piercing, deep blue eyes.  Nevertheless, they were welcomed into the living room. “You can have a seat, while I'll go get Jack.”

Vlad didn't sit, as he preferred to stand, Danny was close beside him.  Vlad raised a hand to the bottom of Danny’s back, “Daniel, go up and pack your bags, while I have a word with your parents”, pushing the other halfa slightly forward with his resting hand.  The younger did as instructed, making his way up the stairs to his room. 

Vlad waited patiently for the boy’s parents to return from the basement lab, choosing to wait for them beside the couch.  He observed a few family photos laying around the room, most were family photos from vacations they took. Vlad was enjoying the peace, until he heard the all too familiar thunder steps and billowing voice, “Vladdie!”.  Only to be met by one of Jack’s signature, bone crushing, bear hugs, knocking the wind right out of the billionaire’s poor lungs. 

“Nice to see you too Jack”, Vlad struggled for air, before being released.  The two parents tried their best to make the situation less awkward, however everyone knew the reason behind the visit.  “Now, it's come to my attention that your carelessness has once again put Daniel’s life in jeopardy.”

Maddie was the first to talk, glancing around for her son, “Can we talk in the kitchen, I’ll make some coffee.”  The two men followed her lead, Jack took a seat at the table, while Maddie stood beside the warm coffee pot on the counter, Vlad chose to stand beside the table, near the doorway.  “Now where is the vile concoction the boy drank.”, Vlad demanded. Maddie walked over to the fridge to retrieve the still unlabeled jug of dark brown liquid, easily mistaken for a tea of some sort.  “It’s still in there?! And it's still unlabeled?!”, Vlad was almost shocked that things were so unorganized, after everything that's happened. 

Both parents couldn't meet Vlad’s glare, Maddie was the only one brave enough to try and excuse the mistake, “Well, we've been so busy trying to find an antidote…”

“That you forgot to label the container that caused it?!” Vlad cut her off, “What if Jasmine were home and mistook it for tea?!  Do you have any idea on the repercussions this has on living humans?” Vlad was met with only silence. “Look, I know that you both love Daniel dearly, and all that he is, but it's dangerous for him to continue to live in a home, where his parents create and develop anti ghost weapons and devices.”  

Both Jack and Maddie injected, “It's not like we don't try, it was just an accident that Danny drank that stuff.”

Vlad crossed his arms, the dangerous jug sat on the table.  “Look, my point is, it's dangerous for Daniel to live here. He’s asked to stay with me for the time being.  That is until he can find a place he can afford.” Jack and Maddie felt a bit defeated, they knew it was only a matter of time until another possibly harmful incident would happen to their son, and he was lucky to have survived what he’s already been through.  “I can assure you, Daniel will be most safe under my care.” 

Danny was still upstairs in his room.  He had just finished packing the large duffle bag with most of his clothes and necessities that he would need.  It was kind of like packing up everything he brought home from college. Glancing one more time at his NASA themed bedroom before closing the door and making his way back downstairs.  Finding where everyone was gathered in the kitchen. The tension in the air was thick, and for once Danny was glad he couldn’t talk.

Standing shyly behind Vlad, as the conversation came to an end.  Vlad placed an arm behind Daniel, pushing him to say goodnight to his parents, assuring them it was for the best, as Vlad took the jug from the room, seeing himself out to allow time for the family.

Outside, Vlad choose to sit in the car with his left foot propped on the door, keeping it open.  Glancing in the rearview mirror, at the vile jug in his backseat, the silver haired man lit a cigarette he retrieved from his glove box.  A cloud of smoke trailed from his lips, as he pinched the space between his brow. He knew this incident would set his own work back at least a week, however he would do anything in his power for the young halfa’s well being.  Glancing up at the Fenton works logo as he neared the filter, the man took one last drag before dropping the cigarette to the ground, and crushing it into the pavement, just in time as the door opened. Danny was making his way down the steps, to the car.  Vlad got out to assist with his bags. Both parents, teary eyed, and watching from the doorway.

“Drive safe Vladdie!”, Jack yelled.

“Text me when you get there”, his mom called out.

The two halfas simply waved as they entered the car, driving away slowly down the street.  The soft music from a popular radio station, played in the background of another otherwise silent drive home.  

\---

It’s was almost seven thirty when the two returned to the mansion, driving up, Vlad parked the corvette in front.  Stepping out of the car as two, Vlad made his way to the passenger side, to help the Danny with his bags, his clone retrieved the jug in the backseat and teleported to what Danny assumed was the subterranean lab.  Shrugging off the matter, Danny of course handed him the larger duffle bag, as he opted to carry his smaller backpack. Vlad lead them up the familiar stone steps, into the large, mostly unoccupied mansion. Danny followed up the large ornate staircase into a familiar room, one he hasn’t seen much of in the past four years.  The older halfa, set the duffle bag down near the foot of the bed, then made his way to a nearby closet retrieving a clean set of blankets and sheets, which he placed atop the bed. Daniel traced the surface of his old desk. A small amount of dust had accumulated on its oak surface. 

“I’ll let you unpack, and settle in young badger.  I’m sure the past few weeks have been rather rough on you.”, Vlad moved over to rest a hand on the shorter figure.  “I have some things to attend to in my office, but I’ll make you something to eat if you’re hungry.” Danny shook his head, and pointed to his bags.  “Alright, young badger, you unpack and text my cell when you’re done, as I have yet to eat as well.” With that the tall silver host walked out, leaving the young man to unpack his belongings.

Danny made his way over to the dark oak dresser which was located opposite of the bed.  He took out the sweats and jeans he kept in there from high school. The drawer above it held his spare shirts and hoodies.  He placed the clothes he couldn’t fit on the side, he’d have to ask Vlad for a bag or box so he could drop it off at a donation center later on.  As he began to empty drawers he noticed a small picture tucked under a pair of sweatpants, in the back corner. It was a candid photo of Vlad wearing only a bathrobe, sleeping in the den, lit dimly by the fireplace.  The edges were lightly worn, but the overall photo was kept in good condition. 

Danny traced light touches over Vlad’s half exposed chest in the photo.  He never forgot this night, back in high school there were a few times when Danny slept over on Friday nights so that he could train during the weekends with Vlad.  This particular Friday night, Danny happened to be wandering the mansion trying to find one of his notebooks, that he was studying earlier. He just needed it to finish a study guide for a test next week, and he thought he had left it in the den where he was studying earlier.  As he turned the corner in the hallway, he noticed a soft light radiating from the den. Danny pulled out his phone to check the time, “1:45 am, It's awfully late for Vlad to be awake”. Fearing his mentor might be quietly reading a book, Danny began to tiptoe towards the open door of the den. Careful not to use his ghost powers, and attempting his best to cloak and contain his core energy.  

As Danny carefully poked his head out, he scanned the room for his notebook.  Spotting it on the table beside the couch. He couldn't see much else from his angle because the couch faced the fireplace, not the doorway.  However, he could still sense his mentor. The fact his mentor did not acknowledge his presence, (because even Danny knew how bad he was at cloaking his energy), could only mean one thing.  And Danny confirmed it as he drew closer to the table with his notebook. The cracking of the fireplace was the only noise in the room. As Danny silently picked up his notebook, he turned to see if Vlad was on the couch. And holy hell he was, Danny lit up like a tomato, he had to place a hand over his nose because he thought it was going to bleed any moment.  Vlad was dead asleep, one arm tucked behind his head the other resting halfway in his robe, scratching occasionally at his ribs. His chest was almost fully exposed, a few white chest hairs scattered around. Vlad wasn't a particularly hairy man, which Danny liked. Of course, Danny felt awful for starting, but he was never going to get another chance like this.  Especially with Vlad exposing his light pink nipples, his body draped over the couch seductively, one leg hanging off. There was no way Danny was missing this opportunity, because he wanted to cherish it forever. Thinking quickly, he took his phone out again and snapped a quick photo before running off to hide in his bedroom.

Once he got back to his bedroom, he quickly, and quietly closed his door with his back, sliding slowly down until he was sitting on the floor.  Pulling out his cell phone and opening his gallery to the newest picture, one dimly lit from the fireplace. Vlad Masters seductively posed in only a loose bathrobe.  Danny had to restrain himself from using it for his own pleasure, at least while he was at Vlad’s house. He’d somehow have to keep it a secret from his mentor, fearing what Vlad may do if he found out Danny was taking secret pictures of him in his sleep.

Of course the fear of what his friends might think was also a hard thought that crossed his mind.  Which was only confirmed as Sam questioned why Danny needed to borrow her pocket printer, that she got for Christmas last year.  Sam however, made the mistake of swiping the picture away from Danny, and before he could stop her. She froze, speechless, Danny quickly snatched the photo back, shoving it into his pocket. 

“Geeze Sam, rude much.”, it was all he could think of in the moment.

Sam whipped around, “The FUCK DANNY!?!?!”, she lashed back, “Why do you even have a pin up of Vlad Masters sleeping in a robe?!”  

Danny turned bright red, “Can you just drop it?  It's none of your business, so quit sticking your nose in my personal life.” That was harsh, but Danny really didn't feel like explaining why or how he got the photo, let alone why he had to print it.  Danny couldn't handle having this kind of talk with Sam right now, so he just rushed to grab his bag and run home.

Of course Sam ended up calling him later that week, and they met up and he ended up confiding in her.  Sam wasn’t really stoked to hear Danny’s developed crush on his parent’s college friend, but at the end of the day, Danny was still her best friend, and she still wanted to support him. 

Even now, his friends still think it's weird, but the fact that the two men are probably the only people with ghost powers was probably the best point that Danny could argue for.  The possibility the two may outlive all their current friends and family was something the two didn't really want to acknowledge to their loved ones. 

Danny held the photo softly in his hands, tracing the line of Vlad’s robe as it trailed down his body.  Danny head to tuck the photo back in the drawer, hiding it under his new clothes he just brought from home.  He couldn't look at the picture for long, especially since he thinks it's one of the best photos of Vlad half naked.

The brief years he had been away in college only seemed to cause him to long for the man.  Unable to really maintain his normal daily contact, he turned to his friends for advice on his situation.  Although Sam was still guarded around Vlad, she thought of him more as a temperamental adult, than anything, especially if it involved Danny’s well being.  Tucker seemed to offer more useless advice, but it was always fun chatting with the tech guru. He should really message them later about all this. For now however he just wanted to finish putting his clothes away.

Vlad was sitting in his office trying to push through the last bit of paperwork. He has to at least finish looking over the details and plans for anything pertaining to his meetings this week.  Then he might be able to take a week or two off to commit to his lab and Daniel’s antidote. Receiving a text from Danny, [I'm done, are you hungry yet frootloop?] Vlad responded with I'll meet you in the kitchen.  

Danny was sitting at his barstool in front of the island counter top when Vlad made his way into the kitchen.  Opening the almost bare fridge, Vlad explained he hasn't really had the time to go shopping since his last visit.  They settle for a light dinner, Vlad made a simple salad, a few cans of chicken noodle soup, and a small pile if grilled cheese sandwiches.

The air was heavy and bittersweet, and Vlad attempted to lighten the situation, clearing his throat for attention, “Daniel, did you know, back in college this kind of dinner was a rare treat for Jack and I.”  Danny’s eyes lit up a bit, he loved hearing stories about Vlad, and college stories were his favorite ones. “Ahh, yes”, Vlad continued, “Did your father ever tell you about the time he worked odd jobs in college and we shared an off campus apartment?”  Danny shook his head no, and Vlad placed his half eaten grilled cheese back on his plate as he began to use his hands to tell this story. “Well, I think it was our freshman year, and I was working at a nearby gas station at the time. We lived paycheck to paycheck, and times were rough, but over long weekends or when we could manage to pull a little overtime, we’d celebrate.  I would usually get a bottle of vodka or something, and Jack would usually buy some cheese, and we’d celebrate with vodka and grilled cheese sandwiches.” Vlad looked down at the table, he missed those late nights with Jack, back when it was just the two of them. “Sometimes, we’d play cards or charades, other nights we’d go out to a forest or graveyard ghost hunting. It was our thing to go legend tripping when we both had the weekend off.”  Vlad pushed a few crumbs around his plate, as he ended the story. Vlad could sense the question Daniel was dying to ask, Vlad sighed, “Yes, I do miss the good times I’ve had with Jack, however so much time has passed, we’ve become much different people Daniel. There’s no going back.”, and Vlad returned to his grilled cheese, the table fell silent for a few minutes as they finished their humble meal. 

Danny picked up a spoon and began taking a few spoonfuls of his now cool chicken noodle soup.  A small smile turned up a corner of Vlad’s lips. Though he attempted to hide it by wiping a few crumbs off his lips, but it was there.  “Ahh, that reminds me.”, he started, “You know how I said, we used to live paycheck to paycheck?” Danny nodded, “Well, grilled cheese and vodka was a treat, but we lived on 10 cent raman that we had to cook in a coffee pot, and peanut butter sandwiches almost every day.”  Sky blue eye scrutinized the silver haired figure, as if wondering if this story was real. Vlad lifted his right hand in the air, “I swear, you don’t even know the hardships I’ve endured before the accident.” Danny rolled his eyes playfully, yeah whatever you’re still a frootloop.  “Really, this one time I fell ill, missed work a whole week. Jack and I had to survive two weeks on only a single case of instant noodles and half a loaf of bread. Do you have any idea how much that guy can eat. I nearly starved to death that winter.” Danny almost shot a noodle out his nose from trying to hold back his laugh while finishing off his soup.  Luckily he didn’t, but a little bit of soup was dripping from his nose as he tried to regain himself from laughing and choking, trying to quickly wipe away his embarrassment before Vlad’s keen eyes picked up on it. But it was too late, Vlad was almost smirking, and Daniel was a blushing mess hiding behind his empty bowl of soup. 

Vlad was happy that the stories he told the other halfa could at least lighten the situation, and if he could, he wished he could end Daniel’s misery with the snap of his fingers.  However, even all the money in the world couldn’t buy the young man’s antidote, that was something Vlad himself would have to solve and create. 

Vlad finished off the last of the grilled cheese, and Danny began to gather the empty dishes and take them to the sink.  Vlad continued to eat, as the silent halfa started to wash the dishes. “Daniel, I have a few meeting tomorrow morning, but I should be done by 3pm.  Did you want to go grocery shopping with me after? I can pick you up.” Danny glanced over his shoulder, soap dripping off his hands, his eyes big and bright, filled with excitement.  “I’ll text you when I’m done then”, Vlad smiled as he began to stand up. Picking up his empty bowl and plate to place in the sink with the other dishes. Danny playfully bumping him with his hip, completely catching the man off guard, as Vlad almost fell, dishes still in hand.  But the silver haired man caught himself, and successfully placed his dishes in the sink. “Is that the thanks I get?”, he chuckled lightly, “How about a drink before bed?”. Vlad was quick to his liquor cabinet, retrieving two short glasses and a bottle of cognac, Danny shrugged his shoulders.  He thought, Vlad sure did seem to drink a bit, but Danny would never think of him as an alcoholic. Washing the soap off the last of the dishes, and his hands, the young halfa rejoined Vlad at the kitchen table. 

Waiting until the other was seated to pour the amber liquor into the beautifully etched glasses.  Danny traced the geometric, designs, following them to the short stem and smooth base. It looked like a wine glass with a one inch stem.  Vlad looked over as he finished pouring his glass, “Cheers”, he held it up, waiting for the other. Danny brought his glass up silently, and they both took the first sip.  It was a sweet burn, with a hint of fruit, not completely unpleasant, but the aroma and taste was smooth and warm. Long thin fingers traced the lip of the glass, circling around it slowly, “I’ll be in the lab if you can’t sleep”.  Although his clone was already hard at work in the lab since they got back, analyzing the compounds in the jug, Vlad was already thinking of how to neutralize the compounds into a viable antidote. “By the way, I don’t intend to risk your safety for an antidote”.  Danny looked a bit puzzled, but Vlad continued, “Do you remember when I taught you about clones in training? When the time comes to test the antidote, I want your clone to test it, not you.” 

Danny nodded from across the table, his mind wandering off to the first time Vlad taught him about cloning.  His blue skinned mentor hovering above him, his voice demanding the boy to concentrate. “Daniel! You've got to focus”, Plasmius said as he touched back down, lightly tapping the floor with his boots.  “You have to focus on your core energy and imagine it dividing into two parts”, Plasmius was standing directly over the boy, offering a hand to help him to his feet. 

Danny accepted the hand, but scoffed, “Easy for you to say, you've got over 20 years of practice on me.” 

“Yeah, I've got 20 years of practice and knowledge to see through your bullshit.  Now focus on finding your core energy.” 

As Danny once again closed his eyes, he pictured his icy blue core deep within him.  At first it seemed as though everything was a frosty blue shade, and he tried to pull it into a ball.  Concentrating on pulling the mass into a concentrated state. Once he could imagine his core into about the size of a basketball he tried to imagine pulling it into two separate pieces.  

Plasmius watched from a few feet away, focus harder Daniel, he thought to himself, admiring the tenacity the young boy held. Suddenly, Plasmius caught a glimpse of Phantom as his body began to vibrate, and his form fluctuated. Sweat began to bead under snow white bangs, Phantom’s eyes still tightly closed in concentration.  Then, he did it, Danny was able to form his first successful clone. A bit exhausted from the endeavour the boy began to drop to his knees, only to be caught by Plasmius. 

“Well done little Badger”, he congratulated.  Danny could only look up with bleary eyes, giving his best half-powered smile.  Plasmius slowly began to lead Phantom to sit on the floor, as he knelt beside the boy.  Danny slumped over Plasmius’ knee, “Cloning can really take a lot of energy, you're going to have to be careful how you use it.”  

It was true,  Danny felt drained, he didn't even have the energy to look up anymore, he just needed a nap. As Danny felt himself begin to doze off, he felt a light pat to his cheek which jolted him back up. 

“Don’t lose focus Daniel!”, Plasmius reprimanded as he pointed to the perfect clone of Phantom.  “Now, you need to maintain a strong mental link to your clone in order to fully utilize it.” Danny concentrated on his mirror image, focusing on trying to move a hand.  Watching the clone intensely for any movement, and there it was. Danny was able to get the right hand to close into a first, and just to make sure he really was able to do it, a dim green light enveloped his right hand.  

Plasmius was rather pleased that Danny was able to form a successful clone with just a handful of tries.  It had taken Vlad almost 2 years, but then again, he had to learn everything for himself when he first started.  He envied the fact that Daniel wouldn't have to struggle as much as he did, however he did gloat that he was still the teacher, transforming back into his pristine suit, as Vlad Masters.  

“Alright, I think that's enough for today”  Daniel was still cradled somewhat in Vlad’s arms as he tried to find the energy to stand on his own again.  Vlad lead the young boy into a small back room in the lab. It had a pull out sofa, a couple pillows and a thin blanket draped across it.  There was a small built in closet to the left of the sofa, and a door, just to its right. The door lead to a small private bathroom which had a shower, toilet and sink.  Vlad mainly used the room when he wanted to remain in his lab working, and usually only used it in agitation when he was sleep deprived. Although since Danny’s training began, it was mostly Daniel who would use the room to shower or nap after a long day of training.  

Currently however, Danny was hunched over a half eaten bowl of rum raisin ice cream which was melting in front of him.  Vlad cleared his throat, and the young man was back in the present. “You may want to finish your ice cream before it turns into soup, little badger.”, he chuckled.  Danny scoffed back as if HE would let it, using his icy core powers to harden the ice cream back into form. 

Vlad stood up from the table and began placing his empty bowl and cup in the sink, returning to the table to put away his cognac.  “By the way, I’ll be downstairs in the lab if you can’t sleep little badger.” Vlad stood in front of the cabinet until he received a nod from the silent halfa.  However instead of walking out of the kitchen, Vlad took a seat back in his chair. Danny was a bit puzzled at the action, “Hurry up and I’ll wait for you.”, the elder smiled, as he traced a light touch over the time worn wooden table before taking out his cell to check his emails.  Danny still savoring every bite of his dessert finished rather quickly, hurrying to wash the dishes in the sink. 

Wiping his hands on his beat up jeans, he turned around as if to say ready.  Vlad finally finished emailing a few people, glanced up in time to see Daniel ready to go.  Vlad stood up and placed a hand on the arc of the young man’s back, “Now, where do you want to go?”, Vlad asked, escorting the young man where ever he pleased. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, hope you have enjoyed the second part of the story, things will kind of start to slowly hearty up from here on out. Not sure when i can post chapter 2, but im already drafting it!!!  
> Thank you four the kudos and comments much love!!!


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